An electric reactive armour, comprises a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, to which electrodes a high voltage can be applied so as to disrupt a charge that impacts on the electric reactive armour. Such an armour is known from European Patent EP 1 877 720 & U.S. Pat. No. 8,006,607 (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft).
The known armour is designed to protect an object from threats such as shaped charges, for example RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades). On impact, the charge of an RPG produces a high speed jet of typically molten metal, which has a high penetrating power. As a high voltage is applied to the electrodes, the jet effectively creates a short circuit when it has penetrated the first electrode and reaches the second electrode. As a result of the short circuit, a strong electrical current will flow through the jet, which gives rise to a magnetic field that in turn gives rise to a Lorentz force on the jet. This disturbs the jet and distorts its needle shape, thus significantly reducing its penetrating power.
European Patent EP 1 877 720 mentioned above discloses a second electrode which is made of a spatially heterogeneous material, such as open-pore aluminium foam. The patent states that the electrode material should have a very good electrical conductivity. Using such a spatially heterogeneous electrode material apparently causes electrode material to be displaced in a direction away from the longitudinal axis of the jet, thus increasing the disturbance of the jet. However, it has been found that this disturbance of the jet can be improved upon and that more effective disturbance arrangements are possible.
Bulgarian utility model application BG 103643 discloses an electric armour with two parallel walls and plurality of inclined, electrically conductive plates between the walls, at an angle of between 10 to 30 degrees to the walls. The inclined plates are mechanically connected to each other. One pole of an electric voltage source is connected to both walls and another pole is connected to a conductive element that runs in parallel with the walls, midway between the walls. The inclined plates are connected to the conductive element. When a projectile hits outer wall, this gives rise to electrical contact between an inclined plate and the wall arises. The publication discloses that the described solution results in immediate electrical contact after piercing or deformation, because of the minimal distance between the walls and the inclined plates. The contact continues during passage of the projectile through the armour. The plates also server to deflect the projectile.